AT FIRST glance Port Adelaide rookie Gavin Grose epitomises the term ‘gentle giant’.

He’s 192cm tall, weighs in at 94kg, and is quietly spoken and unassuming to the point that he thought a recent media interview request was a prank from one of his teammates.

But this introverted character possesses a drive and determination that has seen him become the only 2007 rookie retained on Port Adelaide’s list for the 2008 season.

“It was nice to know I impressed the right people last year and the coaches decided to keep me on the rookie list,” Grose said.

“Now, all I have to do now is repay them for the faith they’ve had in me.”

Last week the 19-year-old moved a step closer to that goal when he played his first official game in the black, white and teal against Carlton in the Port Adelaide’s round-one NAB Cup encounter.

Grose played less than half of the game, but managed to pick up seven possessions and take three marks, while rubbing shoulders with the likes of Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola.

With emerging centre half-back Troy Chaplin sidelined for a month, Grose is likely to get more opportunities in the coming weeks.

“Hopefully I’ll get another game with the Power over the pre-season, but if not, I’m going to try and cement a spot in the North Adelaide seniors this year and play a key position there,” Grose said.

“My main objective this year is to get elevated onto the senior list at Port Adelaide.

I’ve been working hard on my spoiling and defensive work, so hopefully it pays off and I get a chance to prove myself against some of the AFL’s elite players.

"I can’t wait for the challenge really.”

The long-kicking defender moved down from sunny Queensland to join the Power at the end of 2006 and admitted it took him awhile to adjust.

“Coming down from Queensland it was a huge change. I started playing in Queensland’s top league when I was 16, so I thought I was pretty good,” Grose said with a laugh.

“I actually played at centre half-forward in my first game for North Adelaide’s league side and I was a bit overawed. In Queensland we played in front of 200 people and here I was playing centre half-forward in front of 10,000 people.

"I was a bit taken aback by the whole thing. But as the season got on I played five games in a row and was in the top few players, but unfortunately I was dropped when a few senior guys came back.

"I knew I had to keep playing good football in the reserves and I played all the way through into the preliminary final, where we got knocked out, but I was pretty happy with the way I played.”

One of Grose’s biggest attributes is a booming left foot kick, which he says he developed at an early age.

“I have a brother who is three years older than me, so growing up I used to try and kick the ball as far as him when we were playing in the street,” he said.

“I guess it just developed over time. My marking is becoming a bigger strength now too because I’m developing a stronger upper body and my attack on the ball is something I’ve really worked on too.”

Grose, a former apprentice carpenter, has continued to improve over the summer.

He has added six kilograms to his wiry frame since coming to Alberton and wiped half a minute off his 3km time trial after Christmas.

“Everything is going pretty well for me and I’m just stoked about the start of the season in a few weeks time,” he said.

The coaches were impressed with the improvements in my endurance and attack on the ball last year, so I’ll keep working on that this year.”

But Grose, although more comfortable in his football surroundings, says there are still some parts of Adelaide life he’s yet to adjust to.

“I spent four years in the Whitsunday Islands as a kid and grew up with sunshine all-year-round on the Great Barrier Reef,” he recalled.

“Then last year I played a game for North against South Adelaide in round 12. It was at Noarlunga and I’m pretty sure it was the coldest day of my life.”